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May/June Lite Entry - Toranese Trade Table

So, one of these days I was riding the metro when it occurred to me that it could be interesting to try and make a sea trade route map much like the typical metro map. Rather than accurately depicting all the actual curves and distances, this kind of map in mostly interested in showing the location of the stations and how they interact.

So, in this map I'll be depicting a huge chunk of meandering seashore that I'll have to straighten out so that the ports where the ships call and their order are the main aspect. Not sure if this is an actual style, or just a stupid idea, but it felt like it was worth a shot.

Here's an old map of mine (NOT part of the WIP) with the region I'll represent in this challenge. I added red dots to the locations of the main ports I want to represent, and the big one on the left corner is Torana, the metropolis.

Not sure if my idea is clear, hopefully I'll be able to work on it tonight and you guys will see what I mean!

Remember that coastal cities might be built in a defensible location. For example, if there is a couple islands just offshore, forts might be built upon them to protect the city. Even if the map is modern, cities that have been around for a while would have been strategically placed in the past, when location mattered more!

The best maps are the ones we like the most after looking at the longest.

Hectic couple of weeks at work! But it seems I'll have time to finish this one! Hopefully pulling an all-nighter today!

Thank you for your comments, guys!
Bogie, I'll fix the rivers. The "lakes" were actually just badly painted terrain that looked like that when I applied the "stroke" effect on the layer. I kinda liked how rough it looked, but you're right, they look like lakes, so I'll probably get rid of them.

So, this is a rough version of what I had in mind.
Cant decide on whether and how to add the routes. My original plan was to have some small details written along the lines, such as the distance or any relevant info (pirates, etc). But it's getting maybe too polluted?

Also, interesting to notice, the lines on the ocean run north. Since the coastline on my map is actually a distorted version of the real thing, I can't just stick a compass rose in there. I could do many, one for each section, but I think this solution works and looks better.

So, I guess I'm done. It ended up being a little different than what I had in mind at first, but I like it better.

I think everyone would benefit from a little context, so:
The Toranese are a very practical, organized people. From their little insular homeland, they have built an Empire through commerce (mainly maritime), and the influence of their culture is felt pretty much everywhere on the continent. This map is a product of their straight-forward, pragmatical (some would say unimaginative) way of thinking. Here, the coastline along their main trade routes has been extremely simplified. Each route has a number attached to it. That is an approximation of the distance in Imperial Nautical Lunas, their main unit for long distances. The lines across the sea run north.

I like how plain and functional the map turned out to be, and I think it matches the Toranese spirit. What do you guys think?